Influence of nutrient-management practices on crop-growth indices, soil fertility and yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)-gobhi sarson (Brassica napus subspecies napus) cropping system under north-west Himalayan region

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons of 2015–16 and 2016–17 at Research Farm, Advanced Centre for Rainfed Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Rakh Dhiansar, J&K, UT to study the effect of integrated nutrient-management practices on growth and yield of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]-gobhi sarson (Brassica napus subspecies napus) cropping system under rainfed conditions. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 3 replications and 8 treatments. The treatments were applied in the kharif season and the residual effects studied in the rabi season. Application of 100% NPK (inorganic) resulted in statistically higher grain and stover yields of pearl millet, being 79.6 and 53.9% higher than control respectively. Among the integrated nutrient management (INM) treatments, 75% N (inorganic) + 25% N (vermicompost) showed significantly higher grain and stover yields, followed by statistically similar treatment 50% N (inorganic) + 50% N (vermicompost) and 75% N (inorganic) + 25% N (FYM). In gobhi sarson, treatment 100% N (vermicompost) applied in pearl millet crop resulted in statistically higher grain and stover yields which was statistically similar with treatment 100% N (FYM). The highest nutrient-use efficiency, recovery efficiency, factor productivity for applied N value and agronomic efficiency were recorded in 100% NPK (inorganic) which was followed by 75% N inorganic + 25% N (vermicompost); however, the lowest values of these indices were observed in 100% N (FYM).